Inclosed fused switch



Sept. 1, 1931. J. SACHS INCLO'SED FUSED SWITCH Filed Jan. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet fnl/@NF 30 23 1;/'05550/7 555/25 25 v @y l LIL Sept. 1, 1931. J. SACHS 1,821,671

INCLOSED FUSED SWITCH Filed Jan. 23, 1928 jhlfgnaz" MUSE/Dh 55H75 DHS/ey 2 sheets-sheet 2 lwatentecl Slept. 1, 1931 Josi-n sciis; oi 'WEST irse-Tieniti), conne-oriente inoiiosnn nnsnnswrrcii .ispira-nda fiie'a Jaiiiiary es, ieee'. sei-iai N. siegel-a.

.The invention relates particularly to an inclosed usedlswitch in some respects similar to that disclosedpin my patent for inclos'ed usedswLitches5'No. 1,721,495 issued July 16, Such a switchhas .fuse contacts and switch parts'arranged to' be respectively accessibleand inaccessible through an opening in the fronti wallA or cover of the inclosini)Y cabinet, anda-cover means for closing theV opening in the front wall and norn'ially prevcntingaccessto the fuse contacts, the said cover means. including a movable element ai'- r'angcd in` interlocking relationship with a l switch. operating!) handle at oneside of the 'i cabinet;

L In iiiyf. patent for .inclosed fused switch, Ne. l.721,497 issued July 16, 1929 l have disswitch of the type described which is provided with a locking` element on the cabinet movable transversely independently or the' cover and having a normal cover lockii'ig--iliosition in which it is directly olistructed by the handle when in switch closing position and having a laterally projecting cover unlocking position' in which it directly ohstructs the handle against switch closing movement. ln'the'l last said patent l have showntwo"separate means servingr respectively to move the locking element and for inox/'ing 'the cover.

inveiitionis to provide an inclosed fused'` One objectof the present switch such' as set forth in the said patent (although differing in details) hut provided v willi a single means which is manually oper'- :dole to successively inovethelocliing element to its cover unlocking position and open the cover or to successively` close the cover and move the locking element to its normal cover locking position.

sever .lk'furthei object of the invention to provide an inclosed fused switch which may he siniilarlothat disclosed in the last said pat-y ont,y out having an latch additional to the switch locliiiig'elementandadapted to locli the cover closed, theAV said latch being-interloe'lied withI the locking'elementto prevent movement of the said' element to its operatiycY pes'ition while the latch remains in locking position and toprevent movenicht 'oi' the'latchto its vcover locking position while the said' element remains in its inloper` ative position. The said latch may ily de'- sired be a combined cover and swticli lock,- ing element as disclosed inthe last said patent. lil/Then a combined cover and switchl locking element is providedV l am enabled to provide an additional latch which, 0ives additional security and at the same time l' ain enabled "to prevent the release of tlie main lec'iiig element while the latch remains operative and to prevent movement or' the latch into cover locking position while the lock ing' element isin its cover unlockingl position.

Further specific objects of the inventionV are to )rovide certainl iii'iprovedy details of construction whereby the foregoing more general objects more conveniently attained.

lu the accompanying drawings I have shown the embodiment of the invention which I now deem preferable hut it will bev understood that the drawings are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not to he construed as defining or limiting the scope oi the invention, the claims forming` a part oiE this specilication being"reliediup'on for that purpose.

Gf the drawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a front viewoiI an inc'losed fused switch einhdyi ig'th invention. A- K Fig'. ills a si e 'View 01"' the switch shown inFig;1; M i

. Fie'i is avhottoin view of the switch shown inj Figggfl the rear part heiiigf'shown inY elevation and the iront part heingshown in transverse section along" the line 8 3 of Fig; 1.

Gis a perspective ieivof thelocliing element or slide to'gl'ether withi'the pivoted latch. i l

Figi? is alperspective view ofitlie'auxiliary' cover. v

Fig'. S isla perspective view of the housing` for the auxiliary cover and associated parts. As concerns the details of the cabinet to which the invention may be applied, I -do not narrowly limit myself but in order to clearly illustrate the invention I have shown an inclosing cabinet 1 of conventional form having a back wall 2, side walls 3 and 4, top and bottom end walls 5 and 6, and a front wall 7. Ordinarily and preferably the front wall 7 is in the form of an openable cover pivoted at 8, 8 to one of the walls as for instance the bottom end wall 6. The cover may be held in closed position by means of a latch 9. The front wall 7 whether constructed in the form of an openable cover or otherwise has an opening such as 10 therein.

Mounted within the cabinet is a fused switch mechanism so arranged that the fuse contacts are accessible from the exterior of the cabinet through the opening 10 when the cover is closed and so arranged that thc switch parts are inaccessible througi the said opening when the cover is closed. The details of the fused switch mechanism may be widely varied and I do not limit myself to a fused switch mechanism of any particular form. However, for the purpose of clearly illustrating the invention I have shown a fused switch of the type disclosed in my patent for electric circuit controlling appliance, No. 1,7 54,445 issued April 15, 1930. The fused switch as shown comprises a base 11 of insulating material which is so mounted within the cabinet as to close the opening 10 in the front cover. Carried by the base 11 at the front thereof are pairs of fuse receiving contacts such as 12, 12a these contacts being accessible from the exterior of the cabinet through the opening 10. The switch mechanism within the cabinet comprises stationary switch contacts 13 and 14 some of which may be electrically connected with the respective fuse contacts 12, 12. In addition to the stationary switch contacts 13 and 14 the switch comprises movable contacts 15 and 16 carried by a rectilinearly movable insulating element 17, 17.

I provide an operating means for the switch mechanism which includes a handle 011 the exterior of the cabinet. This handle may be adjacent one side wall of the cabinet, as

for instance the side wall 4, being movable parallelly therewith. As illustrated there is a switch operating spindle 18 having a cranked portion 19 which extends into slots 520 formed in the insulating elements 17 of the switching members. The spindle 18 is mounted in bearing apertures in the side walls 3 and 4 of the cabinet and it terminates in a handle 21 movable as already described parallelly with the side wall 4 of the cabinet.

shown in Fig. 2 the switch is in open position. Preferably a stop device 21 is provided for limiting the movement of the handle 21.

In order to normally close the opening 10 in the front wall of the cabin-et so as to prevent access therethrough to the fuse contacts, there is provided an auxiliary cover 22 which is preferably pivotally mounted for movement about an axis parallel to the front wall or main cover 7. Preferably the auxiliary cover is movable about a pivotal axis which is vertical but as to this I do not necessarily limit myself. When the pivotal axis is vertical it is preferably at the side of the cover adjacent the switch operating handle.

I provide in association with the auxiliary cover 22 a locking element 8 which is additional to the cover itself and which is separately movable. In accordance with one phase of the invention the element 28 serves as one of the means for normally locking the cover in closed position; and in accordance with another phase of the invention it serves as a switch llocking element to prevent opening` of the switch except when the auxiliary cover is closed and to prevent closing of the switch when the auxiliary cover is open. In the en'ibodiment of the invention as illustratec the said element serves both of the said purposes and it is interposed between the said auxiliary cover and the switch operating haudle. The said element 28 has a normal cover locking position shown in Figs. 1 and 8 in which it is directly obstructed by the switch handle when in switch closing position and it has a laterally projecting cover unlocking position as shown in Fig. 4 in which it directly obstructs the switch handle to prevent switch closing movement thereof.

As shown the locking element 23 has a narrow portion 24 which is adapted to overlie the cover and to engage it to loch it closed and also has a wider portion 25 which .is adapted to engage the handle 21 when the handle is in any position except that corresponding to the full open position of the switch. The said locking element 23 may be in the form of a fiat plate and there is an offset 28 between the narrow portion 24 and the wider portion 25.

For holding the locking element n3 and for other purposes as will presently appear I provide housing 28 which is suitably secured to the front wall or main cover 7, the main body thereof beine' spaced from the front of the cover as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The housing is provided with narrow top and bottom walls 27 27 having tongues 28, 28 by means of which thc housing is secured to the wall 7. The wider portion 25 of the locking element iits within the space between the main cover and the front wall of the housing, being free for lateral movemeut. The housing preferably has end walls 29 and 80, the wall 30 leaving a. space for the is seated in the recess formed at the said depressed portion 3l and substantially lits the said recess. The narrower portion 24 of the locking element extends through a slot 33 adjacent the depressed portion of the housing and the said narrower part is adapted to overie the cover 22 to lock it as already set forth.

The details of the hinge construction for the cover 22 may be varied but I hav-e shown particnlarly in Fig. 5 the construction which I deem preferable. The cover 22 is provided at one side with a tongue 34 which projects t" rough the slot 33, the said slot being extended rearward and laterally toward the center as clearly shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The tongue 34 is initially provided with ears 35, positioned as shown in Fig. 7, and after the cov-er 22 is in place on the housing with the ears projecting through the slot 33 the said ears are spread apart in any convenient wav to occupy the positions shown in Fig. 5. The ears 35, prevent the removal of the cover from the housing but the cover is nevertheless free to move pivotally. The corners of the cover are notched as shown at 22, 22 so as to clear the housing when the cover is opened.

There is provided a cover locking latch additional to the said locking element 23 and when the latch is provided the cover locking function of the element 23 may, if desired, be omitted. The latch is interlocked or connected with the locking element 23 so as to prevent movement of the said element to its switch locking position while the latch remains in cover locking position and to prevent movement of the latch to cover locking position while the said element remains in its switch locking position. The cover locking latch is shown at 3G this being connected with the locking element 23 preferably being hinged thereto at 37. As shown the hinge 37 includes trunnions 36 formed integrally on the latch 36 and engaged by loops 24 formed on the portion 24 of the locking element. When the latch and locking element are in their left hand positions as shown in Figs. l and 3 the latch projects through a slot 28 in the housing 26 and is engaged by the front wall of the housing. WVith this construction the latch 36 and the locking element Q3 cooperate in holding the cover closed. Then the latch and locking element are moved toward the right to the positions shown in Fig. /l the latch 36 is free from engagement with the housing 2G and the locking element 23 is free from engagement with the cover, and the latter can be swung forward to open position. A suitable device is provided for moving the latch and the lock n ing element and as shown this device is in the 0 form of a knob 39 secured to the latch. As shown the knob has a stem projecting into a hole in the latch, being held in place by means of a drive [it or otherwise. It will be seen that this knob serves as a means for moving both the latch and the locking element laterally.

I provide a single means for successively moving the locking element to its cover unlocking and switch locking position and for opening the cover or for successively closing the cover and moving the locking element to its normal cover locking and switch unlocking position. This single means may be the r said knob 39 secured to the latch 36. In or- 8" der that the said knob may serve not only as a means for moving the latch and the locking element but also as a means for moving the cover the said latch is slidably connected with the cover. Furthermore the parts are so arranged that the axis of the hinge 37 may be moved to a position closely adjacent the pivotal axis of the cover as shown in Fig. 4t. .Vith the latch slidably connected with the cover and with the parts in the relative positions shown in Fig. 4 it will be obvious 'that by means of the knob 39 the cover can be swung forward to its open position. The slidable connection between the latch and the cover may vary as to details but I have shown the stem of the knob 39 is provided with an inward extension which projects through a slot 40 in the cover. At the inner end of the extension is a washer 4l which engages the inner face of the cover, the said washer being secured to the extension by riveting or otherwise.

It will be obvious from an inspection of the drawings that the portion of the cover adjacent the pivotal axis thereof serves as means for preventing the movement of the locking element from its projecting position to its normal position when the cover is open or partly open. In order to prevent any possi- 115 ble movement of the latch and locking element when the cover is open to only a very slight extent I preferably provide a rearward projecting finger 42 at the end of the latch which linger is adapted to engage the 120 edge of the front wall of the housing 26 adj acent the slot 38. Preferably a portion of the housing adjacent the said slotis raised as shown at 43, this raised portion additionally interfering with the linger 42 when any at- 125 tempt is made to move the latch with the cover open to a slight extent.

Vhat I claim is:

l. In an enclosed fused switch, the cornbination of a cabinet having an openable 130 main cover with an'opening therein, fuse contacts and a switch within the cabinet respectively accessible and inaccessible through the Q 'said opening when the cover is closed, a

Lili

switch operating handle adjacentone side wall of the cabinet and movable parallelly therewith, an auxiliary cover for the main cover opening pivotally mounted for movement about a vertical axis in iii-:ed relation to the main cover, a transversely movable unitary slide on the cover having a normal locking position in which it directly engages the cover to lock it in closed position and in which it is directly obstructed by the handle when in switch closing position and having a laterally projecting cover unlocking position in which it directly obstructs the handle against switch closing movement, means for areventing the movement of the slide from its laterally projecting position toits normal position when the auxiliary cover is open or partly open, and a single means manually operable to successively move the slide to its projecting position and open the auxiliary cover or to successively close the co ver and move the slide to its normal position.

2. In an enclosed fused switch, the combination of a cabinet having an opening` in the front wall thereof, fuse contacts and a switch within the cabinet respectively accessible and inaccessible through the said opening, a switch operating handle adjacent one side wall of the cabinet and movable parallelly therewith, an openable cover for the said opening pivotally mounted for movement about a vertical axis, an element on the cabinet for locking the cover closed, the said element being movable transversely independently of the cover and having a normal locking position in which it directly engages the cover to lock it in closed position and in which it is directly obstructed by the handle when in switch closing position and having a laterally projecting cover unlocking position in which it directly obstructs the handle against switch closing movement, means for preventing the movement of the locking element from its laterally projecting` position to its normal position when the cover is open or partly open, and a cover locking latch connected with the said locking element so that the said latch and lockin element are simultaneously movable into and ont of their cover locking positions, the connection between the latch and locking element being` a vertical pivotal one to permit the latch to be swung forward independently of the lockingl element.

3. In an enclosed fused switch, the combination of a cabinet having` an opening in the front wall thereof, fuse contacts and a switch within the cabinet respectively accessible and inaccessible through the said opening, a

switch operating handle adiacent one sidewall of the cabinet and movable parallelly therewith a. housin(r4 on the front wall of the cabinet having its front wall spaced from the front wall of the cabinet and provided with an opening registering with the said opening in the cabinet wall, an openable cover pivotally mounted adjacent the last said opening for movement about a fixed vertical axis, a cover locking element located bctween the front wall of the cabinet and the said housing wall and transversely movable independently of the cover, the said element having a cover locking position in which it overlies the cover and is direct-ly obstructed by the handle when in switch closing position and having a. laterally projecting cover unlocking position in which it directly obstructs ie handle against switch closing movement, means for neventing the movement of the locking` element from its laterally projecting position to its normal position when the cover is open or partly open, and a cover lockinglatch overly-ing the cover and having a hinged connection with the said locking element, the said latch being mo Yable into and out of a locking position behind the front wall of the housing.

lv In an enclosed fused switch, the combination of a cabinet having an opening in the front wall thereof, fuse contacts and a switch within the cabinet respectively accessible and inaccessible through the said oponing, a switch operating handle adjacent one side wall of the cabinet and movable parallelly therewith, an openable cover for the said opening pivotally mounted for movement about a vertical. axis, an clement on the cabinet for locking the cover closed, the said element being movable transversely independently of the cover and havii'ig a. normal cover locking position in which it is directly obstructed by the hancle when in switch closing position and having a laterally projecting cover unlocking position in which it directly obstructs the handle zgainst switch closing movement, means for preventing the movement of the locking element from its laterally projecting position to its normal position when the cover is open or partly open, a cover lockingv latch at the front of the cover connected with the said locking` element so that the said latch and locking ele ment are simultaneously movable into and outI of their cover locking positions, the connection between the latch and locking element being a vertical pivotal one movable to a position adjacent the cover axis when the latch and locking element are in their unlocking positions, and means for slidably connecting the latch with the cover to ca use the cover 'to be swung' forward to open position when the latch is swung forward.

5. ln an enclosed fused switch, the combination 0f a cabinet having an opening in the front wall thereof, fuse contacts and a switch within the cabinet respectively accessible and inaccessible through the said opening, a switch operating handle adjacent one side wall of the cabinet and movable parallelly therewith, an openable cover for the said opening pivotally mounted for movement about a vertical aXis, and having a transverse slot therein, an element on the cabinet for locking the cover closed, the said element being movable transversely independcntly of the cover and having a normal cover locking position in which it is directly obstructed by the handle when in switch closing position and having a laterally projecting cover unlocking position in which it directly obstructs the handle against switch closing movement, means for preventing the movement of the locking element from its laterally projecting position to its normal position when the cover is open or partly open, a cover locking latch at the front of the cover connected with the said locking lement so that the said latch and locking element are simultaneously movable into and out of their cover locking positions, the connection between the latch and locking ele ment being a verticalpivotal one movable to a position adjacent the cover axis when the latch and locking element are in their unlocking positions, and a projection on the latch extending rearward through the slot in the cover and engaging the inner face ot the cover to cause the cover to be swung Jorward to open position when the latch is swung forward.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of January, 1928. JOSEPH SACHS. 

